The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution suggests that all speech is constitutionally protected. The right of free speech has been broadly defined by the court system, legislatures, and stakeholders in the field of education. Speech has been defined in many ways, but it is most commonly agreed on that speech, in its purest sense, is a basic form of communication. The visual arts are a unique language or form of speech and, like all languages and forms of communication, require instruction consisting of the opportunity to learn (OTL) and time to acquire, develop, and master the basic knowledge and skills needed to use this unique language. This article discusses how, as a form of speech, the visual arts and what is said through them are protected by the U.S. Constitution as a right among citizens of the United States. In order for the arts to contribute to understanding of the human condition, students must be given guaranteed access to the highest quality of art education possible. Without access to art education programs provided by certified art educators and teaching artists, students will not have the opportunity to learn the complex and sophisticated language of communication the visual arts embody. In effect, those denied the communications knowledge and skills of the visual arts will be handicapped as citizens in fully understanding and responding to their interactions with contemporary society and visual culture.